The Environment Agency and Slough Borough Council are working in partnership to investigate whether potential options to reduce the risk of river and surface water flooding within the catchments of the Chalvey Ditch, Salt Hill Stream and Datchet Common Brook are technically and economically viable.

The results of the investigations will be considered alongside feedback from the local community. If this work identifies that there are viable options, then the Environment Agency will develop a business case for the project. If this is approved then a detailed design of the scheme will be developed, followed by construction.

Communities in Slough have a history of river, surface water, sewer and groundwater flooding, with flood events experienced as recently as 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014.

Within the catchments of the Chalvey Ditch, Salt Hill Stream and Datchet Common Brook over 1,800 properties are currently at risk of river flooding and a further 1,000 properties are at risk of surface water flooding, which is caused by rainfall overwhelming local drainage systems.

The Environment Agency is currently investigating potential options to reduce the risk of both river and surface water flooding. The investigations will help identify which of these are the most economically and technically viable.

Next steps

Throughout late August and early September a newsletter about the scheme will be sent to local residents to explain how they can provide the Environment Agency with their views on the proposed options.

In autumn 2015, the Environment Agency plan to hold public drop-in sessions. These will give the local community the opportunity to review, discuss and provide feedback on the preferred option. This feedback will be used to develop the business case for the scheme and, if this is approved, the detailed design. The detailed design of the scheme would be developed during 2016, with construction potentially beginning in 2017.

As the scheme has not been approved or designed, it is not clear yet how many properties would benefit. However the scheme could significantly reduce flood risk from the Salt Hill Stream and Datchet Common Brook and may improve existing flood protection from the Chalvey Ditch.

If approved, the estimated cost to design and construct the scheme could be over £3 million. However the Agency said this is a provisional figure which would be re-assessed as the project develops.

Slough Borough Council, the government and the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee have committed funding to the scheme based on the estimated cost. The Environment Agency will continue to find other sources of partnership funding.